Hours before the NBA Draft, Panini America announced exclusive autograph trading card and memorabilia agreements with University of Oklahoma guard Buddy Hield and University of Washington forward Marquese Chriss.
Panini says the two will be “featured prominently throughout Panini America’s 2016-17 NBA and Collegiate Basketball product seasons as well as in NBA Dunk, the company’s digital trading card app.”
The first cards of both players will arrive in the October 5 release of Panini America’s 2016-17 Contenders Draft Picks Basketball. Their first NBA Rookie Cards will arrive one week later in the company’s NBA Hoops Basketball brand.
In addition, both Hield and Chriss join Panini as exclusive memorabilia athletes via Panini Authentic. Other exclusive athletes for memorabilia include Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Blake Griffin and John Wall.
“There’s a lot of excitement surrounding the 2016 NBA Draft Class and these two players are a big reason why,” said Panini America CEO Mark Warsop. “As we look to the start of a new NBA trading card season and the importance every new rookie crop plays in our success, we can’t wait to get started.”
Hield, who averaged 25 points per game during his final season at Oklahoma, is a two-time Big 12 Player of the Year and the 2016 Naismith College Player of the Year. In his only season at Washington, Chriss averaged 13.8 points and 5.4 rebounds per game.
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